Bingham County, Idaho
Encyclopedia
Bingham County is a county located in the U.S. state
of Idaho
. As of the 2000 Census the county had a population of 41,735 (2008 estimate: 43,903). The county seat
and largest city is Blackfoot
. Bingham County comprises the Blackfoot, ID, Micropolitan Statistical Area
.
Bingham County was created January 13, 1885, and named after Henry H. Bingham
, a congressman
from Pennsylvania
and friend of William Bunn
, Idaho's Territorial Governor. As a young officer in the Civil War
, Bingham rose from lieutenant to brigadier general
; he was awarded the Medal of Honor
for his actions at the Battle of the Wilderness
.
The county was formed from Oneida County
and was later partitioned itself to form Fremont
(1893), Bonneville
(1911), Power
(1913), and Butte
(1917) counties.
flows southwest through the middle of Bingham County; at the county's southwest corner the river is the American Falls Reservoir.
of 2000, there were 41,735 people, 13,317 households, and 10,706 families residing in the county. The population density
was 20 people per square mile (8/km²). There were 14,303 housing units at an average density of 7 per square mile (3/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 82.43% White
, 0.17% Black
or African American
, 6.70% Native American
, 0.57% Asian
, 0.03% Pacific Islander
, 7.95% from other races
, and 2.14% from two or more races. 13.30% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race. 23.6% were of English
, 12.5% American
, 8.9% German
and 5.1% Danish ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 13,317 households out of which 44.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.70% were married couples
living together, 9.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.60% were non-families. 17.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.10 and the average family size was 3.52.
In the county the population was spread out with 34.90% under the age of 18, 9.70% from 18 to 24, 25.30% from 25 to 44, 19.70% from 45 to 64, and 10.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 100.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $36,423, and the median income for a family was $40,312. Males had a median income of $31,950 versus $21,591 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $14,365. About 9.90% of families and 12.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.30% of those under age 18 and 7.20% of those age 65 or over.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
. As of the 2000 Census the county had a population of 41,735 (2008 estimate: 43,903). The county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
and largest city is Blackfoot
Blackfoot, Idaho
Blackfoot is a city in Bingham County, Idaho, United States. The population was 10,419 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Bingham County. Blackfoot is self-designated the "Potato Capital of the World", because it claims to have the largest potato industry in the world...
. Bingham County comprises the Blackfoot, ID, Micropolitan Statistical Area
United States micropolitan area
United States Micropolitan Statistical Areas , as defined by the United States Office of Management and Budget, are urban areas in the United States based around a core city or town with a population of 10,000 to 49,999. The micropolitan area designation was created in 2003...
.
Bingham County was created January 13, 1885, and named after Henry H. Bingham
Henry H. Bingham
Henry Harrison Bingham was a Union Army officer in the American Civil War, who received the United States Military's highest award for valor, the Medal of Honor, for his actions at the Battle of the Wilderness....
, a congressman
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
from Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
and friend of William Bunn
William M. Bunn
William Malcolm Bunn was an American newspaperman and Governor of Idaho Territory from 1884 to 1885. He began his political career holding a series of local and state offices while serving as a member of a local political machine. After purchasing a Philadelphia newspaper, he traded positive...
, Idaho's Territorial Governor. As a young officer in the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, Bingham rose from lieutenant to brigadier general
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
; he was awarded the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
for his actions at the Battle of the Wilderness
Battle of the Wilderness
The Battle of the Wilderness, fought May 5–7, 1864, was the first battle of Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's 1864 Virginia Overland Campaign against Gen. Robert E. Lee and the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. Both armies suffered heavy casualties, a harbinger of a bloody war of attrition by...
.
The county was formed from Oneida County
Oneida County, Idaho
Oneida County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2000 Census the county had a population of 4,125 . The county seat and largest city is Malad City. The Oneida County Courthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.Most of the county's population lives in...
and was later partitioned itself to form Fremont
Fremont County, Idaho
Fremont County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. The county was established in 1893, and was named for the explorer John C. Frémont. As of the 2000 census the county had a population of 11,819 . The county seat and largest city is St. Anthony...
(1893), Bonneville
Bonneville County, Idaho
Bonneville County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2010 census, the county had a population of 104,234. Its county seat and largest city is Idaho Falls...
(1911), Power
Power County, Idaho
Power County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2000 Census the county had a population of 7,538 ....
(1913), and Butte
Butte County, Idaho
Butte County is a rural county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. It was established in 1917, and its county seat and largest city is Arco. As of the 2010 census, the county had a population of 2,891...
(1917) counties.
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 2120.24 square miles (5,491.4 km²), of which 2094.73 square miles (5,425.3 km²) (or 98.80%) is land and 25.51 square miles (66.1 km²) (or 1.20%) is water. The Snake RiverSnake River
The Snake is a major river of the greater Pacific Northwest in the United States. At long, it is the largest tributary of the Columbia River, the largest North American river that empties into the Pacific Ocean...
flows southwest through the middle of Bingham County; at the county's southwest corner the river is the American Falls Reservoir.
Adjacent counties
- Jefferson CountyJefferson County, IdahoJefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. The county was established in 1913, and was named after Thomas Jefferson, the third U.S. President. As of the 2000 Census the county had a population of 19,155 . The county seat and largest city is Rigby...
- north - Bonneville CountyBonneville County, IdahoBonneville County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2010 census, the county had a population of 104,234. Its county seat and largest city is Idaho Falls...
- east - Caribou CountyCaribou County, IdahoCaribou County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2010 Census the county had a population of 6,963. The county seat and largest city is Soda Springs, followed by Grace and Bancroft.- History :...
- southeast - Bannock CountyBannock County, IdahoBannock County is a county located in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Idaho. It was established in 1893 and named after the local Bannock tribe. It is part of the Pocatello, Idaho Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Bannock and Power counties. As of the 2000 Census...
- south - Power CountyPower County, IdahoPower County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2000 Census the county had a population of 7,538 ....
- southwest - Blaine CountyBlaine County, IdahoBlaine County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2010 Census the county had a population of 21,376. The county seat and largest city is Hailey. The county is home to the Sun Valley ski resort....
- west - Butte CountyButte County, IdahoButte County is a rural county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. It was established in 1917, and its county seat and largest city is Arco. As of the 2010 census, the county had a population of 2,891...
- northwest
Highways
- Interstate 15
- US 20
- US 26
- US 91
- SH-39Idaho State Highway 39Idaho State Highway 39 is a state highway located in Power and Bingham counties in Idaho. SH 39 is long and runs from its southern terminus at Interstate 86 in American Falls to its northern terminus at U.S. Route 26 in Blackfoot. Between the two cities, it passes through the city of Aberdeen and...
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 41,735 people, 13,317 households, and 10,706 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 20 people per square mile (8/km²). There were 14,303 housing units at an average density of 7 per square mile (3/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 82.43% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.17% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 6.70% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.57% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.03% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 7.95% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2.14% from two or more races. 13.30% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race. 23.6% were of English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
, 12.5% American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, 8.9% German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
and 5.1% Danish ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 13,317 households out of which 44.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.70% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 9.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.60% were non-families. 17.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.10 and the average family size was 3.52.
In the county the population was spread out with 34.90% under the age of 18, 9.70% from 18 to 24, 25.30% from 25 to 44, 19.70% from 45 to 64, and 10.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 100.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $36,423, and the median income for a family was $40,312. Males had a median income of $31,950 versus $21,591 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the county was $14,365. About 9.90% of families and 12.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.30% of those under age 18 and 7.20% of those age 65 or over.
Cities
- AberdeenAberdeen, IdahoAberdeen is a city in Bingham County, Idaho, United States. The population was 1,994 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Aberdeen is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
- Atomic CityAtomic City, IdahoAtomic City is a hamlet in Bingham County, Idaho, United States. The population was 25 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Atomic City is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
- BasaltBasalt, IdahoBasalt is a city in Bingham County, Idaho, United States. The population was 419 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Basalt is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
- BlackfootBlackfoot, IdahoBlackfoot is a city in Bingham County, Idaho, United States. The population was 10,419 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Bingham County. Blackfoot is self-designated the "Potato Capital of the World", because it claims to have the largest potato industry in the world...
- FirthFirth, IdahoFirth is a city in Bingham County, Idaho, United States. The population was 408 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Firth is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
- ShelleyShelley, IdahoShelley is a city in Bingham County, Idaho, United States. The population was 3,813 at the 2000 census. The mascot for the city's high school is "King Russet", a russet-burbank potato that wears a crown, robe and scepter....